Denver Jewish Film Festival to Celebrate 30th Year, January 22-February 1, 2026

Tickets on sale now for festival featuring 40 films

DENVER, Colo., December 11, 2025 – The 30th Annual Denver Jewish Film Festival will take place from January 22 to February 1, 2026, at the Mizel Arts and Culture Center. This year’s festival includes a curated lineup of 40 films written or directed by Jewish people or with a connection to Jewish culture, identity, history, or contemporary issues. Tickets are on sale now. 

“This milestone year is one of our most exciting yet, featuring award-winning international feature films and shorts, compelling documentaries, and vibrant narratives that will inspire conversation and connection for the community,” said Tim Campbell, program director at the Mizel Arts and Culture Center. “The Denver Jewish Film Festival draws thousands of attendees annually, those of every faith and background. The films we bring to the Denver Jewish Film Festival are often not found on the big screen in Denver – or even in Colorado – providing a unique experience for attendees.”

The 2026 festival will offer in-person screenings, filmmaker Q&As, special events, and community conversations. Opening night will include a red carpet VIP reception at 6 p.m. followed by the film “The Ring” at 7:30 p.m. On closing night, the festival will honor Mark Boscoe, a long-time member of the Denver Jewish Film Festival film selection committee and well-known member of the community. The closing night film is “Match Maker 2,” the sequel to “Match Maker,” which was screened at the 2025 festival. The local, Jewish matchmaking company, BeShareIt, will be at the event sharing information about their business with singles and interested attendees. The event will also close with a champagne toast. 

Film and event highlights include:

·       Opening night – January 22 at 7:30 p.m. – “The Ring;” VIP reception at 6 p.m.

A heart-warming dramedy about three generations and the family history that reconnects them. “The Ring” is based on Adir Miller’s Holocaust survival story. 

·       January 25 at 6:30 p.m. – Fred and Audrey Friedman Marcus Holocaust Lecture with the University of Denver featuring “Elie Wiesel, Soul on Fire“

Eighty years after the deportation of his family and the slaughter of European Jewry, “Elie Wiesel, Soul on Fire” explores the man behind the searing memoir “Night.” Narrated in Wiesel’s own voice – his conflicts, memories, and his legacy as one of the most public survivors of the Holocaust. This event includes a lecture and talk-back with director Oren Rudavsky.

·       January 26 at 7 p.m. – “Full Support“

In Tel-Aviv, in a Jaffa bra shop’s fitting room, women’s love-hate affair with their bosom buddies unfolds. As each heroine struggles to find the perfect bra, she bares not just her chest, but her soul, sharing tales of triumph, tribulation, and the occasional wardrobe malfunction. 

·       January 29 at 7 p.m. – “31 Candles“

When a Jewish film director who makes Christmas movies in New York City decides to have his Bar Mitzvah at the age of 31, he must navigate situationships, exes, and family to complete his Mitzvah project and impress his childhood camp crush. Inspired by Jonah Feingold’s life, “31 Candles” is a heartwarming rom-com about love, identity, and growing up – eventually.  

·       January 31 at 8:15 p.m. – “Kissifum“

Based on true events and set between the tragic 1973 Yom Kippur War, and the 1977 visit by the Egyptian President to Israel, a group of 20-year-old Israelis heads into the final stage of their army service where they volunteer on a Kibbutz, adjacent to the Gaza border. Grappling with love, lust, morality, and their evolving identities, they struggle to come to terms with what it means to be young Israelis.

·       Closing night – February 2 at 7 p.m. – “Match Making 2; “Event honoring Denver’s Mark Boscoe

Baruch Auerbach, a Yeshiva student who has missed every opportunity to marry, lives in a small room in the Yeshiva where he studies and serves as the faithful assistant to the matchmaker, Malki. When Malki assigns him the task of escorting her daughter, Shira, from the airport, he decides that it is time to get married. Baruch asks for Malki’s help, but when she tries to match him with Ruth, he decides to do everything he can to thwart the matchmaking with Ruth and win Shira’s heart. 

Tickets to films are sold individually or can be purchased as festival passes. Tickets include: 

·       In-person individual films – $18 for adults and $15 for students and seniors with additional add-on fees for the VIP opening receptions and supplemental programming.   

·       10-pack pass – $140 – $170 which includes 10 tickets to any of the films.  

·       All-access festival pass – $325 which includes admission for one individual to all in-person films and events including the opening and closing night receptions. 

Tickets can be purchased in-person at the Mizel Arts and Culture Center Box Office located at 350 S. Dahlia Street in Denver from December 11 – February 1 from 12-4:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. During the festival, from January 22 – February 1, the box office will be open one hour before all earliest in-person screenings.

For a complete list of films and events happening during the festival and to purchase tickets, visit https://tickets.jccdenver.org/djff. 

ABOUT MIZEL ARTS AND CULTURE CENTER

As one of the Rocky Mountain region’s premier arts organizations, the Mizel Arts and Culture Center at the JCC illuminates the human experience through creative and cultural programs in the performing, visual, cinematic, and literary arts for the Jewish community and the Denver community at large. The Mizel Arts and Culture Center is a Tier II member of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) and is guided by a mission that is focused specifically on arts and cultural programs. A variety of festivals and offerings occur throughout the year including Denver Jewish Film Festival, JAAMM Fest (Jewish Arts, Authors, Movies, and Music Festival), and Wolf Theatre Academy. The Mizel Arts and Culture Center is also home to the Denver Children’s Theatre, which provides students with the opportunity to experience live theatre. The Mizel Arts and Culture Center is located at 350 S. Dahlia Street, Suite 100, in Denver. For more information, please visit www.jccdenver.org/macc or call 303-316-6360.

ABOUT STAENBERG-LOUP JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER

The Staenberg – Loup Jewish Community Center (JCC Denver) serves the metro-Denver area through educational, social, cultural, fitness, sports, and other programs that are rooted in Jewish tradition and values. The JCC Denver’s mission is to create a vibrant and inclusive family and social gathering place that is guided by these timeless Jewish values. The JCC Denver offers a wide range of programs and options for people in all ages and stages of life. The JCC Denver is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located at 350 S. Dahlia Street in Denver. For more information, please visitwww.jccdenver.org, like us on Facebook and Instagram @jccdenver, or call (303) 399-2660.